Nassau Electrical Supply 2-2-2-4 SER Aluminum Service Entrance Cable Wire

Why this 2-2-2-4 SER cable earned a spot in my shop

I pulled this 2-2-2-4 aluminum SER cable across a 100-foot run to feed a garage subpanel for EV charging and shop tools, and it did exactly what a service entrance cable should: carry power reliably, install cleanly, and keep the budget in check. It’s not glamorous work, but with SER, the details matter—strand quality, jacket toughness, marking legibility, and how well it behaves during bends and terminations. On those points, this cable performed well.

Build quality and specs that matter

This SER cable comes as a 100-foot length with three 2 AWG insulated conductors and a 4 AWG bare equipment grounding conductor. The nominal outside diameter is about 0.955 inches, which is in the ballpark for a 2-2-2-4 aluminum SER. That OD is a useful number in the real world: it dictates your clamp connector size, staple/strap choice, and whether a given sleeve of conduit will be a fight or a glide.

A few observations from the bench and jobsite:
- The jacket is tough and abrasion-resistant, with clear printing that didn’t smudge when I fed it through straps or over sheathing.
- The conductors were evenly stranded and compact, which helps with forming tidy terminations in lugs without stray strands.
- The bare grounding conductor was clean and appropriately sized for the assembly.
- Weight is manageable for one person to handle a 100-foot coil, but plan for a second set of hands if you’re working in tight spaces or overhead.

As with any aluminum feeder, plan on AL/CU-rated lugs, antioxidant compound, a steel or nonferrous brush for prepping the conductor, and a torque screwdriver or wrench to meet the lug manufacturer’s spec.

Installation experience

I ran this cable from a main panel across a basement rim joist and out to a garage subpanel. A few practical notes from that install:

• Support spacing: I strapped it every 4 feet or so and within a foot of every enclosure entry, which keeps inspectors happy and the installation tidy. Two-hole straps sized for SE cable work well given the roughly 1-inch OD.
• Bending: The cable is stiff in cold weather. Leaving it in the sun for 20–30 minutes made it noticeably more cooperative. I kept bends generous—no sharp kinks—and the jacket showed no whitening or stress marks.
• Penetrations: For short protective sleeves through masonry, 1-1/2-inch EMT with proper bushings made for an easy pull. You can shoehorn it through 1-1/4-inch, but the extra headroom is worth it.
• Terminations: The 2 AWG aluminum conductors fit cleanly in panel lugs rated for AL/CU. I wire-brushed, applied antioxidant, and torqued to the label on the gear. The white-insulated neutral and the distinct bare equipment grounding conductor made separation in the subpanel straightforward.

One reminder: SER is not for direct burial and is not listed for wet locations like underground raceways. If you need to go underground, transition to individual XHHW-2 conductors in conduit. Keep your above-ground routing secure and protected from physical damage per local code.

Ampacity and use cases

In residential work, 2-2-2-4 aluminum SER is commonly used for 100-amp service entrances and feeders under the dwelling-unit provisions of NEC 310.12, assuming your local AHJ follows that section. Outside of that context, default to the 75°C column ampacity and the terminal ratings of the equipment—many setups will treat this assembly as a 90-amp feeder. Always check your panel labeling and local code.

Practical applications where this cable shines:
- Main service entrance from meter/main to the service equipment in the same structure
- 100-amp (or 90-amp) feeders to interior subpanels
- Above-ground feeders to attached garages or workshops, with proper mechanical protection
- Tiny homes or accessory dwelling units where a compact, budget-friendly feeder is needed

For longer than 100 feet, I pay attention to voltage drop. With aluminum at this gauge, typical 240V loads (like a 48A EVSE on a 60A breaker) are fine at 100 feet. If you’re pushing higher continuous loads or longer runs, consider upsizing or shortening the route where possible.

Performance under load

I commissioned the feeder with a mix of loads: a 48A EV charging session, a small dust collector, and overhead lighting on the same subpanel to simulate real-world simultaneous usage. The cable ran cool, and there was no measurable nuisance voltage sag at the subpanel beyond what I’d expect for the run length and material. Terminations stayed stable—no creeping under torque—which is often where cheaper aluminum conductors betray themselves. I did a spot check with an IR thermometer after an hour at continuous load; lugs were comfortably within normal operating ranges.

Handling and packaging

The coil arrived cleanly wound and strapped. Unspooling from a center turntable or a payoff rack prevents corkscrewing; if you don’t have one, unroll it across a driveway rather than pulling from the outside of the coil. Letting it warm up before forming into an enclosure saves time and frustration. The jacket resisted scuffs against brick and joist hangers during the pull, and the printed footage marks were accurate enough to plan cuts.

One best practice: measure your length before you start fastening. It’s a simple check that can save you from coming up short at the last bend.

Code and safety reminders

• SER is an above-ground cable. Do not run it underground, even in conduit, because underground raceways are wet locations.
• Use only AL/CU-rated terminations. Clean, apply antioxidant, and torque to spec.
• Keep neutrals and grounds isolated in subpanels. This cable’s separate neutral and bare equipment grounding conductor make compliance straightforward.
• Support the cable per code intervals and protect it from physical damage.
• Verify ampacity with your local AHJ—NEC adoptions vary, especially on the dwelling-unit allowances.

If you’re not comfortable with service equipment or feeders, hire a licensed electrician. Mistakes here can be expensive and dangerous.

Value

Aluminum SER exists because copper is expensive, and for feeders and service entrances, aluminum does the job when installed correctly. This cable hits a sweet spot: durable jacket, consistent stranding, and clear markings at a price that’s typically better than local big-box options. For a 100-foot feeder project, the savings over copper are substantial without compromising function, provided you respect the installation requirements unique to aluminum.

Pros and cons

Pros
- Solid build quality with clear jacket markings and consistent stranding
- Appropriate stiffness for support while still workable when warmed
- Accurate OD (~0.955") makes planning hardware straightforward
- Budget-friendly versus copper feeders
- Ideal for 90A–100A residential feeders and service entrances where permitted

Cons
- Not suitable for underground or wet-location raceways
- Stiff in cold weather; benefits from warming before install
- Requires aluminum-specific termination practices and torque diligence

Recommendation

I recommend this 2-2-2-4 SER cable for residential feeders and service entrance work where aluminum is appropriate and local code allows it. It handled cleanly during installation, terminated securely, and performed as expected under continuous load, all while keeping costs in check. If your project involves underground runs or you’re unwilling to follow aluminum termination best practices to the letter, this isn’t the right product. For above-ground services and feeders, though, it’s a dependable, cost-effective choice that earns an easy yes from me.